You've been far away too long
by ArchAngelSpawn
Summary: The continuation of the ending. Alice goes her own way, and Mirana tries to continue her life without Alice, the pain builds and builds for the two and a cat with the grin that could frighten all but amaze many decides it's time to bring the lovers together again. Will Alice follow Cheshire? and save Mirana before she is forced to marry another for the sake of her kingdom?
1. Chapter 1

**"Will this take me home?" I stared at Mirana of Marmoreal, the queen of underland/wonderland with longing eyes hoping she'd say that I was allowed to stay although I already knew the answer would always be yes whether be from the queen, her subjects, the hatter or the rest of my new old friends. I knew they would allow me to stay but I just wanted to hear it from her, her beautiful soothing voice tell me I could stay in underland, with all my friends, with her. "If that is what you choose" She placed a hand on my cheek, the tips of her fingers feeling like feathers with her ever so smooth skin caressing my face.**

**The feel of her touch was wonderful, exciting and lovable, hard to tear away from and sadly it ended quickly, a small smile formed on my face hoping I could get my message across to her, see if she understood my feelings for her, thought it was surely wrong to love such a pure being, to love such a pure and wonderful queen, it must even be against all laws of underland! But my heart ached thinking about leaving...I had to do it though, in underland time could randomly stop, go faster, or slower whatever it wishes or in fact nothing has control of it, it is like the weather, rain, snow, hail, or sun.**

**Still uncertain of my decision, my smile quickly turned into a frown, I did not wish to leave such a magical wonderful place just yet..although I wanted to resolve the things back home, wanted to tell off my mother and sister for trying to decide my life and how it would work, for almost forcing me to marry Hamish. I wanted to return home with my father at our front door smiling at me..'Welcome back home Alice, did you have a wonderful crazy day?' I wanted the old times back, but right now I had to choose between stay in underland or leave returning back to my bland, colorless world. I flipped open the vial and slowly tried to drink it very much unsure what to do.**

**"You could stay" The Mad Hatter appeared from behind me with a frown upon his face forming into a small smile once I stared into his eyes "what an idea..a crazy, mad, wonderful idea" slowly I let my smile fade as his stayed an unsure posture "but I can't.." now his frown appeared and he looked very disappointed, my heart broke a bit inside having to leave my friend "there are questions I have to answer, things I have to do.."**

**Once again I flipped open the top to the small vial and drunk the purple jabberwocky blood inside "be back again before you know it!" the Hatter shook his head lightly at me "you'll won't remember me" tears swelled up in his eyes as he said those sad words "of course I will, how could I forget?" I could tell he was recalling in his mind the first time I left and how I did forget them all. Quickly changing the topic "Hatter...why is a raven like a writing desk?" that question had bothered me the whole time in underland since he had asked plenty of times "I haven't the slightest idea" he smiled at me slightly which I returned to him.**

**He stepped close to me and whispered in my ear "fair farren Alice" I continued to stare at him until everything slowly turned black and I was sent up back the rabbit hole, carefully I climbed out and stood up staring back at the party that was still waiting for me to return, upon my arm was still the three scratches from the bandersnatch, I promised myself then that if they never heal I'll never bother to rid of them to remind myself that underland is a real place, that it exists and I can always return with a warm welcome.**

**After I told everyone my feelings and danced the best flutterwacken I could without trying to twist and turn body parts like Hatter, I was off on a ship with a blue outfit made just for me, swords and daggers hidden all over my body, I had gone through weeks of small training before it was time for me to venture off to China, it was not as much training as I had wished but apparently the Chinese had great fighting classes that I'd join once there.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Alice's POV**

**It had been six months since I was in wonderland...my heart still aches for Mirana but yet no matter how much I dream and long to go back to her, I've never found another rabbit hole leading me to my queen, nor the guts to do so. I've done all I could in china, we set up our business and it has been doing well, I became a better champion for my queen, and I kept my promise to Hatter on never forgetting him, the Bandersnatch scar reminded me everyday of wonderland. It was hard to forget the people I longed to be with, it was hard to forget the one who stole my heart with the same line I used to hate "love at first sight".**

**I made a few friends in China but all were in a way normal...too normal for my tastes after my last visit in wonderland, I was hoping to find someone willing to randomly dance with me in the streets like Hatter surely would, to play chess with me like Chess would, to drink tea at a completely mad tea party. But alas humans were normal...it was boring but yet in China, at least more fun then being back at London, and sadly I was going back whether I wanted to or not according to my sister Margaret, her and my mother were expecting me to be married by now, to have found a husband and to settle down, so seeing as I haven't they are not trying to get me to date a random man once again.**

**This time he was worse than Hamish, he fully believed that I was nothing like the stories said of going to China, that I belonged at home with children and a great husband (meaning him), he believed what most men believed, and he hated me greatly but refused to give me up seeing as he wanted to "set me straight". I refused his "dates" many times but Margaret kept finding ways for us to cross paths which just normally ended up with him having a broken nose or a black eye really...it was dreadful having to be with that man, and having Margaret not understand. Earth was just no longer for me, sure I had a business that was doing amazing, but it was just no longer for me...**

**My father had once told me a line I use a lot..."you're mad, bonkers, completely off your head. But I'll tell you a secret...all the best people are"**

**Mirana's POV**

**Time in underland is a crazy and uncontrollable thing...it could be only four days in aboveland but here four years could pass by, the days wen't quicker or did the aboveland days just go slower? Tarant went on and on for a whole day questioning it all really, he believes maybe I have some sort of power to control the time, to make it go slower or faster according to how I feel, but alas he has just gone completely mad these days and has now been bound to his mad tea party forever. Not to move, only to drink tea in that same spot over and over every day...**  
**like a human being cursed by time and that could never be fixed either.**

**It has been two underland years since Alice left, according to Chess who goes to aboveland no matter how many times I ask him not to...he says it has only been six months since Alice left in her world, six small months but yet two long years for us. It's amazing how underland works isn't it? Surely she must have found some sort of lover by then, she must have found someone who fell in love with her blue eyes that I could just stare at for hours, those calm wonderful blue eyes and that beautiful dirty blonde hair that I longed to run my fingers through.**

**I forced those thoughts aside as I listened to Tarant go on and on about the different ways to make hats and how he learned them all, it was as interesting as such a topic could get but yet my mind continuously wondered back to Alice, Tarant being completely and helplessly crazy couldn't give me any advice I desired at certain moments anymore, McTwisp always worried about work back at the castle. In two years many Kings from other kingdoms have asked for my hand in marriage, Of course being in love with Alice I haven't given a single one of them a bit of thought until two hours ago when McTwisp asked me who the king was going to be...I'd rather have a Kingsley but I must do what is "right" for my kingdom...or should I?**

**I decided to keep on the idea of me not needing a king, for many years before and during I met Alice I lived without a king, I ruled without a king, I am fine without a king, just not without my Kingsley... "yes that's it!"**  
**Tarant interrupted my thoughts randomly speaking while drinking his tea, possibly full of sugar, "it's always tea time" I stared at him for awhile processing how it must be in his head, complicated, scary, unimaginative "Yes it is Tarant, always tea time for you" I took the last sip of my tea and rose from my chair "it is time for me to get going now Tarant, enjoy the rest of your tea, I will be here the same time tomorrow with Chess, Fair Farren Hatter."**

**Surely McTwisp would have been ashamed of me constantly going off and day dreaming these past two years but deep down inside I could care less what he thought at the moment...I did not wish to marry one who does not please me, who does not love me for who I am, who only wants to marry me because truly I am a queen. I did no care for any man, only my love who was far away from me, too far in fact, and has been far away for too long...**


	3. Chapter 3

**Alice's POV**

**Walking down a random road just trying to get away from Margaret and that horrid man Geoffrey who was constantly on my case about being proper, being lady-like and to stop being so stubborn. It was a summer afternoon in London,**  
**a soft breeze was blowing south and it was early in the morning so hardly a soul was out walking on the streets and not many brave souls would do so since there have been recent papers about killers and rapists that love to hunt at night or early in the morning.**

**Behind me on my left I heard soft footsteps and the shadow of a figure, sharply turning to face my stalker, it was only Henry my young brother following me "Henry! what are you doing!?" I walked toward him as he came out from behind the corner of a house "I wanted to see wonderland...you told me that when you ran away during the party you followed a white bunny in a suit with a large clock that ticked faster than normal, I wanted to see if you found him again so I can follow you to wonderland" he stared at the ground with a pout upon his face as he shifted his weight "I just wanted to see Hatter, McTwisp, the doormouse, and the others."**

**"Heh...Henry, don't you think if I had found a way to wonderland I'd try to run back home and bring you with me? I did promise you that I'd bring you the next time I had the chance to visit wonderland" Henry looked up from the ground smiling but gasped "there!" he pointed behind me toward a park where I quickly saw a floating smile "Chess?**  
**am I dreaming?" Henry raced ahead of me and toward the park "Henry! you can't just go alone! first off wonderland is dangerous and second of all mother would kill me if someone hurt you in the park!" I ran after him. "Alice! It's chess! I saw a floating smile once again!" Henry randomly stopped in the middle of the park that looked more like a rain forest during the night.**

**"I see I am quite the famous cat around here in aboveland aren't I?" a soft purr echoed through my ear "chess?!" I spun to have him disappear "your queen...needs you or so to say" he smiled his famous Cheshire smile at me, sharp toothed and scary "come back to underland with me? it won't take long I promise, underland time likes to go faster or slower than aboveland time, I promise" I felt as if he was lying to me, but the last time I was in underland I swore at least three nights had passed but only a few minutes had passed back here on earth or aboveland as it is called. "Alice! you promised me! pleaseeee!?" Henry begged staring up at me doing his best impression of puppy eyes and also Cheshire's smile and cutesy eyes.**

**"Alright...to underland" I smiled down at Henry who started to jump up and down "excellent! I'll take you to the Hare and the Hatter but that'll be the end of it" Chess floated away at the entrance of a stump that had a large hole next to it, I sighed and took Henry's hand 'if this takes longer than a few hours mother will kill me if I ever come back, if I don't come back for years then I'll have to go into some sort of hiding to hide from her wrath "Welcome to underland" I whispered to myself trying to calm my nerves about being able to finally go back to underland and seeing Mirana again.**

**Falling down the rabbit hole again was as scary as the last time, I slammed onto the bed with Henry and had to hold him before the impact of breaking the ceiling, landing on it upside down then falling to the floor going back normal type of gravity I like "this is just like you explained to me during story time! everything down the rabbit hole, this room with many doors of all sizes and shapes! The potion on the table with the small key! to fit the tiny door behind the curtain over there!" he shouted which echoed and rumbled the room a bit. "Calm down Henry" take the key, and drink some of the potion" I took a small gulp from the vial and he followed after.**

**We kept the pieces of cake and dragged the vial with us to help return to normal size once we got through the door, underland looked completely different from last time but the understandable explanation for that was Mirana was ruler of all of underland "well this is the only different part from story time" he pouted wanting to see the dark area of underland "remember I told you that my queen is a lady who loves white, peace, and life, her vow is not to harm any living creatures so it is reasonable that underland changed and returned to life right?" I kneeled down to his level and explained a bit of it to him in the simplest way.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Mirana's POV**

**"Mirana dearest...why don't you go outside and sit outside on the steps of the entrance? it's a nice day today you know, plus I feel as if your going to meet someone important, a king...of a sort, who has been waiting for your hand in marriage for a long time" Chess whispered into my right ear before disappearing to my left "off with it Chess..please" closing my eyes wishing for this day to end already "your majesty, someone has requested your presence, some girl with a child" I stood from my chair fixing my dress and hair for a quick moment before following the knight to this girl.**

**"By the by where is this king you talked about Chess? I want to turn him down, I'm busy at the moment" Mirana stared at one of her servants talking to a tree with kindness like she asked "Mirana!" a sweet and unforgettable voice called her name "My queen!" a tall dirty blonde girl with beautiful blue eyes that captured my attention when I had first laid eyes on her "A-alice? my champion? your back?" I could have fainted at that moment in Alice's arms and not cared at all what anyone thought about it, Alice embraced me in her strong arms while i buried my face into her shoulder enjoying every single second of her embrace "I missed you my queen, sorry for hugging you randomly, it was unnecessary" she blushed a bit and took a few steps back bowing lightly.**

**"It's ok Alice my dear, you're a friend, I would like it if you would call me Mirana we are friends after all dear" I smiled at her, a smile that I felt over powered Chess's smiles for mine was full of happiness for finally having my lover return to me after two long years almost turning into three tomorrow "Alice! your queen is pretty but I don't see how she is-" Alice quickly laid her hand on her the boy's mouth "s-shut it" I smiled at the boy and poked his cheek "and who would you be?" he smiled back at me "I'm Henry, Alice here is my big sister, she told me EVERYTHING about underland that she knows about, I like to call it wonderland because I think it sounds like a wonder~ful place! She told me a lot about you too!" Alice laid her hand on the Henry's mouth again and picked him up "h-he talks a lot" she weakly smiled at me.**

**"Come, I'm sure Thackery would love to see you again, Tarant is...unavailable..forever" I tried to force a smile upon my face "is he dead?" Henry's smile turned immediately into a frown which broke my heart seeing such a beautiful boy upset "of course not honey. No...instead he has gone..well mad..and not the good mad either, he lost his muchiness, and then his mind, and quite possibly his soul, he is forever bound by time to drink tea at his never ending tea party...this is all too much on you both, just arriving and all, forgive me" I bowed lightly to Alice "My queen it's fine" Alice smiled sweetly at me.**

**Henry enjoyed bothering McTwisp while me and Alice caught up on the moments we were apart "so you had to fight another war without me? did you get injured my queen?" Alice sipped at her tea "no and in fact we did alright seeing as there was no Jabberwocky this time..also my sister did not have many forces on her side, very little in fact, it is against my vow to harm any living creature, so I sentenced her to live forever in darkness where she belongs, darkness that may surely hurt her, but I cannot stop that..she did say she'd rather live in the world of dark than in a world of light after all"**

**A small smile tugged at my face as the darkness wanted to laugh at the idea of Iracebeth in darkness that surely was tearing her apart along with Stayne. Alice stared at me before smiling and sipping her tea once again "I'm just glad your ok, any punishment for them seems fitting to me truly, gruesome as it may be, I've witnessed enough to get over being squeamish at the site of dead bodies or blood" Alice looked up from her tea "I didn't do much in China besides set up my business, go on adventures that were all very dangerous, train myself, and make a few friends" she held the cup delicately as if it would break on her any moment.**

**It felt great to have Alice's presence around me to see her smile at me even if no words were said "Alice...did you find any suitors while you were in aboveland? I'm sure many asked for your hand" I was curious to know if her heart could still be mine or not "of course not, I didn't think about marrying a man the whole time I was away from London, still haven't thought about men in a long time really, don't fancy them if you want my opinion really" Alice smiled at me which made me wanna just flip the table over, smash my lips onto Alice's and spend the rest of my busy day kissing her in my hidden garden.  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**Alice's POV**

**Mirana stared at me with lust in her eyes, her fingers twitched at the touch of the table when she stood up and fixed her dress, her hand were so soft it was unexplainable how they felt against my kinda rough ones when we briefly held hands, the way her soft smile held so many emotions made my heart skip beats and add some in, as well as my brain raced with ideas, questions and thoughts of everything she felt and pondered about everyday. I wanted to know it all, to just lay in the grass with her and let everything out, speak to her for non-stop hours, hold her in my arms late at night, no talking just staring up at the stars and at the beautiful scenery of Marmoreal "am..I still your champion my queen?" I asked once we got closer to her meeting "yes of course, your underland's champion Alice, as well as mine" I smiled at the ground not daring to look up at Mirana.**

**"Is something wrong dear Alice? Have I upset you in anyway?" Mirana cupped her left hand under my chin and forced me to look at her "of course not my queen, you'd never be able to do such a thing, not that I'm saying your incapable of doing so...but that-" Mirana placed a finger on my lips which caused my heart to flutter and want to take her hand away from my face and passionately kiss her, no matter in front of millions, or in front of the living trees, or even in front of McTwisp! "Breathe Alice...join me for my meeting" it sounded almost like an order but was obviously more of a question, it would be boring in the meeting and many would try to back talk my queen which I could not allow "of course" I had a feeling those two words would become my favorite soon.**

**Mirana smiled at me and lead the way once again discussing how she has run her kingdom since she first took the crown and throne, to when her sister stole her crown, and when I got it back for her "In all I must thank you Alice, thanks to you many kingdoms have restored their faith in me, they understand my vows since I do not wish to be like Iracebeth..." Mirana stared at a nearby tree who branches swayed in the wind "forgive me, my mind has been off lately" I nodded and reached for her hand before she took a giant step further from me which just made me get closer "Mirana..." I whispered into her ear once I finally got close enough to her**

**"Alice?..." she replied back to my calling "we should be getting to your meeting my queen, it's been forty minutes since you said you were to arrive" I smiled at her while holding the Vorpal sword and wearing my old armor that was still the same as last time "yes I should..shouldn't I?" she placed a hand on my cheek "come now." I followed behind her with sword and shield in hand wearing my heavy armor while keeping a close eye on my queen, when we reached the door where the meeting was being held, I opened the door for Mirana and stood carefully by her the whole time only putting away my shield but keeping the sword in my right hand in case any try to harm her.**

**"That is all for this meeting, Fair Farren all" Mirana rose from her chair that almost resembled a throne chair but was far from it, I escorted her back to her work area and watched her work on stacks of papers that were from all kingdoms, things that Iracebeth the bitch had neglected, things that were not passed, things that need to be passed and so on. "I will never understand underland" I said aloud looking at a pile that started to curve with the ceiling "it must be a very odd world compared to yours that seems very bland my dear Alice, it will take some getting used to, I've never bothered to question any of it, it's like life in your world, you say not a single human has an explanation for how you were created, we have no explanation for why underland is what it is, or how things work." She looked up from her paper work for a second before continuing to read them.**

**"Doesn't it get boring just sitting here everyday reading papers, signing them, and then doing boring royal things? I mean if I was queen I'd rather spend my day outside away from the castle really, too much white at times" I stared at a new stack that was piling with books randomly or at the queen's command. "Does get boring in my opinion...but that is the duty of a queen, to rule your kingdom and do it well" Mirana rose from her chair and walked toward me "where is the king? or is there no king yet?" turning my head to her direction and staring deep into her dark brown eyes "no..no king, I've turned down all the men who have wanted to marry me."**

**Suddenly Chess appeared on Mirana's desk "that is not the full story love~" he purred with almost every word that came out of his sharp toothed mouth "off with it Chess..." Mirana turned sharply facing the poor cat who immediately floated off her desk and hid behind me "don't hide behind me, I'm not the one who angered her" I tried getting him to get off me but his grip held on tight to my clothes. "Alright Chess off" he stared at me flopping his cat ears down trying his hardest to look upset "fine you can stay, but I'm still not a part of this."**


	6. Chapter 7

Alice's POV

Chess held onto me while I tried to distract Mirana and not let her kill the cat who dug his nails into my shoulders, Mirana walked at a slower pace and stared at the sky behind us "all out of sorts the poor thing, she needs a cup~ of tea~" he whispered finally letting go of me and floating ahead of me to stare directly into my eyes.

"Poor thing needs a KING..sley in her life..." he winked at me "a..a what?" my voice cracked with dryness and my ability not to believe he was hinting me on that the queen must have some sort of crush on me!

"She needs a Kingsley to be her king, not just her champion, poor thing will never admit it even if it kills her, for it's just like you...unsure of the other's feelings but yet both blind to the obvious love" he smiled at me evilly and disappeared.

"Alice..Henry must be wondering where we are. Come. Let's go ask McTwisp where he must be" she pretty much floated or glided when she walked, she moved so gracefully and her dress so long it looked as if she would be the grim reaper, cloak so long it looks as if he floats or levitates but yet..she is nothing of the such..but instead a beautiful angel or goddess.

We finally found McTwisp with Hatter and the Hare drinking tea with Molly, Henry, and Chess. "Alice!" Henry dropped from his chair and ran to me, I hugged him and carried him like I used to when he was younger and less heavier

"Your getting heavier Henry...time to lay off of the cakes" he laughed as I put him back on his chair and sat next to him while Mirana sat as close as she could to me..almost on my lap literally.

The hatter decided to chat away to mainly himself unaware of anyone's responses ""what a wonderful day for tea, oh yes molly have as much sugar as you want, McTwisp stop meddling with that clock of yours, you know time here doesn't...Hatter" he laughed at all his own jokes, he was truly mad!

"Is there anymore evil in wonderland?" I decided to ask Mirana "Of course not, you slayed the Jabberwocky and my sister...starved...to death with Stayne.." she sipped her tea with a soft smile. It seemed as if there was an evil message behind er words...has my queen betrayed her vows and killed someone?

No! of course not...she is my queen..she would never do so, she hasn't done so in many years with or without me!

I bit my lip softly as i drank my tea and listened to my friends chatter with each other, slowly the sounds of my friends died down in a dull drunk stage. Yet my queen's voice was louder than normal, many things started to turn and twist..her face got closer to mine.

I softly kissed her lips before falling out of my chair and passing out on the floor, the last that i heard was screams of my queen and Henry.

I woke up upon my bed, the room as white as the others with that hint of special blue, the sheets softly ran over my body like silk, like my queen's skin.

Speaking of her, Mirana and Henry sat across from me staring worried and yet relieved to see me "how have you two been since I took a nap?" I tried to release the tension and made Henry giggle as he ran to me and hugged me "I knew it! I knew you wouldn't die, everyone was freaking out besides Mwrana and I just KNEW you'd wake up! Did you go into another world while being here?"

Mirana giggled in the background as Henry bounced on my lap waiting for a story "well yes of course, I did tell you I can travel between worlds, I visited a princess who was waiting for her princess to come save her from the evil men who wanted to marry her."

He stared at me confused "why are the men evil?" I thought for a few seconds but pretended to do a face that showed I was astonished "didn't you know? all the men there are really evil creatures in men suits waiting to grab women and even MEN when they least expect it by marrying them then sacrificing them. To avoid that, that person must marry someone with a heart of gold"

Henry smiled up a me with sparkles in his eyes and ran around with his wooden sword "i will be that guy with the heart of gold! Just watch im going to kill my own Jabberwockeh!" he ran out the door ready to fight Chess as usual. "You're very good with him you know" Mirana smiled at me and kissed my cheek, I blushed madly and remembered that before I passed out I had kissed her.

"Heh yea...many years of dealing with him alone at him made us pretty close" I rubbed the back of my head before laying back in bed. Mirana sat at the end of the bed and held my hand and simply smiled at me as she caressed my legs with her other hand.


End file.
